The Price of Freedom

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After quickly getting rid of some...extra baggage, Farrah flew to her father and uncle. Her arm was pulsing painfully, so before seeing anyone she went around back, hoping they'd preserved Castiel's body.

She had to dig it up, but made good time. Castiel smiled at her when he was out, and she gave a weak smile in return.

"What is the matter?" he asked. "You are home. Why are you not happy?"

She wiped a tear from her face. "I'll tell everyone later, together. But I need a shower and some sleep first. Oh, uh, can you not see Dean and Sam please? I wanna surprise them."

He nodded. "Of course. I will be in heaven, waiting for you to call me."

After placing a quick kiss on her cheek, he was gone. She smiled and tiptoed inside. Knowing the password by heart, it wasn't too difficult. But the Impala was gone, so when she didn't hear anything she smiled, closed the door, and skipped off to the shower.

An hour later, Farrah stepped out squeaky clean and set about cooking some food. She knew they weren't far away; they were actually on their way home now.

The contents of the refrigerator disappointed her: bottles of beer, rotting takeout leftovers, and spoiled milk. A quick grocery run produced fresh milk, juice, coffee beans, wine, and ingredients for a few dinners.

Soon after draining the spaghetti, Farrah heard the Impala come to a stop outside and silly butterflies started to fly around her stomach. Quickly she dumped the meat and sauce into the noodles and stirred it up. Just as she finished, the door opened.

"I could swear I locked it," said Sam. She grinned so broadly it hurt.

"Obviously-what's that smell?"

They came around the corner and Farrah turned around, tears running down her face. They had stopped dead in their tracks.

"H-hi, Dad. Hi, Uncle Sam," she choked out.

Slowly they approached, and Dean wondered how they would know it was her. They couldn't dump holy water on her, they couldn't cut her with an angel blade. Silver knife and compelling it was.

She laughed at his disbelief and carefully drew blood with a silver knife. "Castiel, come down here."

Cas appeared, which was the final proof Dean needed. He grabbed Farrah in the tightest hug humanly possible and she started to sob.

"Nice to see you again, Cas," said Sam as he reached out his hand. Castiel accepted it.

The two stood there and watched Dean tear up. Finally it was Farrah who took a step back and turned to Sam. After their embrace, she dished out the spaghetti and invited them to sit down.

"How long have you been back?"

She shrugged. "Two, three hours tops. I wanted to give you a surprise, though it would've been cool to just show up in the backseat while you were driving, wouldn't it?"

"Why'd it take so long?" Sam asked.

She finished her bite before answering. "My angel and demon sides were kind of attached to purgatory, like any non-human being that dies. I had to fully rely on my human side to get out. Thanks to Castiel, I could. Had I been alone, there's no way I would've gotten out." She smiled. "I've missed you guys so much."

"We missed you too, Farrah," smiled Sam.

After a moment of silence, she said very sweetly, "Who wants to tell me why there's nothing but beer in the fridge?"

No one spoke. Farrah rolled her eyes. "You are the most unhealthy people I know."

"Farrah," said Castiel, who could easily tell that part of her joy was fake, "you said you wanted us together before you told me why you were unhappy when we returned."

"Unhappy?" Dean asked, his fork clattering to his plate.

Farrah sighed and put hers down. "Promise you won't be mad?"

"Depends on what happened."

She nodded. "I was climbing up the cliff edge to the vortex when I slipped. Someone grabbed my hand."

"Cas?" Sam asked.

She shook her head. "No. This was after I absorbed him. Uh, he was a leviathan. He said that if I wanted to get out, I would have to bring him along." Before anyone could speak she quickly added, "I had no choice! If I compelled him to leave me alone, then the vortex would've vanished! If I said no, I never would've gotten out!"

New tears built behind her eyes. She anxiously waited for their reactions. For a long time no one spoke.

Then Dean asked, "Who was he? What was his name?"

Her voice was quiet and shy. "Dick Roman."

Sam just nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" Dean echoed. "Sam, in case you forgot, it was slaughtering Roman that put me in purgatory!"

Silent tears fell down Farrah's cheeks. She knew he'd gone to purgatory, but she didn't know it was because of the man she just brought back.

"I didn't know," she sobbed, putting her head in her hands. "I'm sorry."

She ran to her room, knowing that no matter what she did, where she went, she would cause her dad to be angry at her.