The Price of Freedom

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Farrah started to sob.

She'd been home for a month, and things weren't getting better. If anything, they were getting worse. Her nightmares started to turn into her family's deaths.

Refusing to tell Dean or Sam, Farrah ensured that the only time they ever suspected anything is when they woke her up, which didn't happen often.

"Castiel," she prayed, "I need your help. Please come quickly."

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw him, and she put her arms around him. "Are you unwell?" he asked.

"In a way."

Immediately he pulled away and checked her forehead for a temperature. "In what way?"

Farrah sighed and sat down. "I'm having nightmares, and getting no rest."

"Are Sam and Dean aware of this?"

"No." She shook her head. "I don't want them to worry about me."

"Dean will find out."

"Let him, but I'm not gonna be the one to tell him."

Over the course of the last year, Cas had started to understand when she was implying things, as she couldn't or didn't want to directly tell him. This was one of those times that he wasn't sure what her implication was.

"Do you mean for me to tell him, or neither of us?"

"It's your decision. I just don't want to tell him that I can't sleep in my own home; I know he loves this place. Castiel, can we go to heaven? It's so calming and peaceful, I may be able to get some rest."

They both knew the danger in that, but were so out of it that they didn't know just how many angels had started to search for the lycan. To their surprise, almost every angel had given up the search.

"After one fruitless year my brothers and sisters have abandoned their search for you," Cas said. He turned to Farrah, but she was slumped against a tree sound asleep.

His face softening, he walked over and sat cross-legged beside her to keep watch.

~

"Farrah! Farrah!" Sam called. "Dean!"

He ran into Dean's bedroom and heard water running. "Dean!"

His brother stepped out lazily, wiping his hands on a towel. "What?"

"She's gone! I can't find Farrah anywhere, and she's not answering her phone!"

Instantly he dropped the towel to the ground and sprinted out, shouting her name. Of course, they received no response. "Cas!" Dean shouted finally. "Get down here now!"

Nothing. Castiel heard their prayers, but wanted to let Farrah sleep. Soon he realized that they were so distraught that staying would not be helpful to any of them, Farrah included. Smoothly he gathered her in his arms and flew back to earth. Surely he could put her to sleep there and keep her from having her nightmares.

"You called for me," he said blankly, holding Farrah as if she weighed nothing.

"Farrah!" Sam exclaimed in relief. She stirred. "Cas, what's wrong with her?"

"She is tired. I will take her to her room and then explain to you."

"Or you could explain right now why you took her away from us," Dean said angrily.

"Farrah's well being comes first, I'm afraid. I will be right back."

A few minutes later Dean was twirling a knife in his hands and sitting on a couch beside Sam and across from Cas. "Why'd you guys leave?" Sam asked.

He considered his response for a long time. "Farrah has not been sleeping well. She asked me to take her to heaven so that she could rest."

"Why hasn't she been sleeping?" Dean asked.

"She has nightmares." Sam sighed and Dean tried not to prick his finger with the knife, which he put down. "Consistently. Nearly every morning she calls for me. This morning she just asked me to watch over her while she tried to rest in heaven. She said it was peaceful."

"And you didn't bother to tell us?"

"She asked me not to."

Sam rubbed his face. "Okay, fine. Look, the reason I was looking for Farrah...we have a problem-a big problem."