Fic: Save Yourself (Supernatural, gen) pt 2

[kribban]

Somewhere in America, a rogue angel is on the run in the guise of a little girl. Troubled by the memories of her own possession, Claire Novak turns to Castiel for help tracking them. Together they follow the trail to a small town, hoping to save the girl before it’s too late.



After almost an hour, Castiel finally called. ”Are you in the room?”

Blinking the tears away, Claire dug her nails into her wrist. ”Yes, I finished the warding. Where are you? Were you banished?”

”Yes. So was the other angel. She's not here,” he added quickly. ”I'm not very far away. I suspect it's because demon blood has weaker magical properties than human blood. Claire, listen to me. I'm going to find a car and drive back. You cannot leave the room until I return.”

She nodded and realized belatedly that he couldn't see it. ”Okay.”

”Did she hurt you?” There was a note of worry in his voice, and she could almost picture the frown lines on his face.

”She didn't get the chance to touch me, but she said she wanted my grace – your grace. Whatever's left of it. She said it would make her stronger.”

”Claire, I'm so sorry.”

The word was like a slap in the face. ”She recognized you. Could you see who she was?”

”Yes. She's a specialist. I'm not going to tell you her name because I don't want you praying to her. Not even by accident.” There was a deep sigh on the other end of the line. ”I'm afraid I'm going to need your help.”

Nodding, she looked towards the table where the Sharpie lay. ”To remove the warding.”

”It's more than that. I know what the weapon is. It's called the Eye of Solomon. It's a stone forged from concentrated celestial energy. An angel who knows how to wield it can bend other angels to their will. It's a riot weapon, made to control rogue angels in the case of an uprising. The angel who is possessing Helen has been its keeper for millennia. She knows how to use it.”

”So what do you need me for?”

”The stone was never meant to be taken out of Heaven, but the forger was wise enough to build in some protections. If a demon touches it, the demon and the body it is inhabiting will be annihilated. Likely, this is what happened to Billy's father. But if a human touches it, the stone itself will be destroyed with no harm to the human. You are God's creation, so no heavenly weapon would be designed to target you.”

”Unless the human is possessed by a demon,” Claire muttered. ”What does the angel want with it?”

”I don't know how much she knows about what's happened since the fall, but I believe she wants to use the stone to regain control of Heaven.”

”So?” Claire ground her teeth together. ”If this is an angel-on-angel weapon, I don't care. If it'll get her out of Helen, I'll help her get it.”

The hardening of Castiel's voice was jarring. He hadn't spoken to her like this in years. ”If the stone is used, it will generate a shockwave that will rip through large parts of Heaven. It will destroy not just angels, but humans as well.”

She gasped. ”Could it hurt my parents?”

”The human heavens are home to billions of souls,” he said more softly. ”The statistical likelihood of your parents' heaven being affected is very small.”

”But you're saying other people are going to die. I mean, permanently die.”

”There are a few things that can destroy a human soul. Celestial energy is one of them.”

She tried picturing it, the kind of force that would tear a soul apart. Ever since Castiel had told her that those who were part of the vessel breeding program got to share a heaven, she'd comforted herself with fantasies of her parents. They were safe and happy, together again after so many years apart. Knowing that they got their fairytale ending had made the loss a little bit easier to bear. Squeezing her eyes shut, she all but whimpered.

”I didn't think seeing her would be like that. She was just... wearing Helen like a change of clothes. I tried talking to her. I told her Helen was suffering, that she was just a kid. But she didn't care. It was like talking to a machine.”

She'd been so used to Castiel, who felt and cared like a human, that she had forgotten the ruthless nature of his kind.

His voice sounded tired. ”Promise that you'll wait for me. Please, Claire.”



She paged through The Enochian Myth aimlessly in the vain hope of finding a previously overlooked lead. There was nothing buried on the page, and her eyes were getting tired. Sam's phone had gone straight to voice mail – not that there was any information on angels he could know that Castiel didn't. She hadn't called Jody. She didn't want her to worry when there was nothing to worry about. The motel room, with all its protections, was probably the safest place in town right now.

Sighing, she closed the book and pulled out her phone again. It had been an hour since Castiel had called her and told her his battery was dying. He had made her repeat her promise not to leave or let anyone in until he arrived.

Madeleine Barrett, from Portland, Oregon, had been a Facebook user by the time of her murder. As always when people died, her wall had been transformed into a memorial page. The condolences were fewer and fewer apart as time had gone by, but when Claire scrolled down, she saw hundreds of them.

”Rest in Peace,” ”I miss you,” ”We'll take care of Helen and Jake,” and various variations on prayers. There was one message from Marjorie Wilkinson, and Claire looked at the photograph of the middle-aged woman who may, or may not, have lied to the police. She kept scrolling.

The posts Madeleine had made before her death were happy and upbeat. She'd posted prayer memes and written about things she felt grateful for. There were many photos of Helen: playing soccer, riding a pony, or baking cookies. There was one photo of the two of them together that seemed to have been taken at a wedding or some kind of festival. They were standing in a garden, wearing similar dresses and blue ribbons in their hair. Madeleine was leaning down slightly and had her arm around her daughter's shoulder as they both smiled towards the camera. It was obvious she had loved Helen very much.

Claire scrolled back up and looked at the photos of Helen. She would never again be that carefree. Even if they managed to find the angel, even if they somehow forced her to leave, even if Castiel managed to take most of the painful memories away, she'd never be that girl again.

The phone vibrated in Claire's hand and her heart skipped a beat before she answered. ”Jake?”

”I saw the angel!”

She jolted upright. ”Where did you see her?”

”In my dream. I know it sounds crazy, but it was really her!” His voice was shaking but he also sounded worked up. ”She said I should meet her at a farm outside the woods, and she'll give Helen back!”

Claire took in a sharp breath. ”You can't go. The reason she wants you there is because the place is protected against angels, and she needs a human to remove that protection for her. There are demons guarding that farm. If you go there, they'll kill you.”

”How do you know that?” He sounded skeptical.

”Because I've been there. Look, this is what angels do. They walk in dreams, they manipulate people. She's using your love for your daughter against you!”

His breathing hitched. ”I don't care. If there's even a chance she'll let Helen go, I have to take it.”

Claire squeezed her eyes shut. She tried to picture the innocent people up in Heaven. ”She's not going to let Helen go,” she said flatly. ”Angels don't care about the people they possess. Look, my friend Cas, he knows how to deal with angels. You have to let him handle this!”

”She's my daughter.” He sounded on the verge of tears. ”I can't just sit here and wait for you to rescue her.”

Her eyes fell on the bag at the foot of her bed. ”Listen, my room is safe. My friend will be back soon. Come over, and we'll wait for him together.”

”Really?” There was a hopeful tone to his voice. ”What room are you in?”

”1217. Don't let anyone see you, okay?”

As soon as the call ended she made a beeline for the bag. The double action revolver Jody had given her was at the bottom. It was small and powerful, safe to handle, easy to shoot. Jody had taken Claire to the shooting range, taught her the Weaver stance, and told her never to aim at a target she wasn't prepared to destroy.

She stuffed it in the back of her pants and pulled her shirt down over it. Cringing and feeling ridiculous, she clasped her hands.

”Castiel, I pray to you. Jake is on his way here. The angel visited his dream and told him to go to the farm. The only way I could stop him was to ask him to come over. We'll wait for you together. Don't worry! He's just a human, and I have my gun. See you soon.” She hesitated slightly, unsure on how to end the prayer. ”Amen.”

Briefly, she wondered if that really was the celestial version of hanging up, or if Castiel would hear everything she said from now on. She would have to ask him about that later.

There was a knock on the door and she hurried to open it. Jake's face was pale, but his eyes lit up when he saw her. ”Hello.”

”Hey. Don't step on the salt, okay?”

He looked down, confused, but stepped neatly over the salt line. ”What's it for?”

”To keep demons out.” Claire looked down at the yard to make sure no one had seen him enter. It was completely deserted, and the reception seemed to be closed. She locked the door quickly.

”Is that for demons too?” He was pointing towards one of the symbols.

She shoved her hands in her pockets which made the handle of the gun press into her back a little.

”I don't have any coffee, but I could get you a glass of water if you like.”

He blinked and gave a dismissive wave of his hand. ”I'm fine, thank you.” He looked at her with a frown. ”I didn't even get your name.”

”Claire.” She raised her chin. ”Look, there's something I want to tell you. I was possessed by an angel when I was a kid. I don't want to talk about it, but the gist of it is: I'm okay now. Your daughter will be, too.”

He seemed to shrink back a little and his eyes darted to the ceiling. ”You really think so?”

”Yes. It's going to be tough, but you'll pull through, and the angel won't come for her a third time.” She folded her arms over her chest. ”We'll make sure of it.”

Back at the diner, Jake's eyes had been bloodshot, but now they were completely clear. He nodded a few times as if to convince himself of something. ”Sit on the bed, Claire,” he said softly, without meeting her eyes.

Claire's heart raced and her arms fell to her sides. She puffed out her chest. ”No.”

He took a few awkward steps and stopped in front of the symbol closest to the door.”This is to keep her out, right?” He scraped along the wallpaper with his fingernail.

”Don't touch that!” Claire pushed forward and grabbed his elbow. ”Listen, I understand what you're going through, but you're not going to get Helen back this way. You have to trust me!”

He tried shrugging her off, but she dug her heels in the carpet and pulled with everything she had. ”The angel erased your memories! You can't trust her!”

Suddenly, his movements stopped, and he turned to her with a puzzled look. ”What are you talking about?”

He had stopped scratching, so Claire eased up. Glancing at the wall, she saw that the warding was still intact. She held up her hands in a placating gesture.

”My friend Cas is an angel, too. Back at the diner, he read your mind, and he saw that your memories had been tampered with. You've already met the angel, maybe more than once, but she's made you forget it. She's been manipulating you all this time. I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but you have to trust me now. Please.”

Jake had a hurt expression on his face and he took a shallow breath. ”Oh,” he said softly. ”So that's why she did it.”

He moved away from Claire and started pacing the small room. ”She told me there were angels who had strayed from God's plan, that one of them was here. She knew he would read my mind. That's why she had to alter my memories temporarily. To avoid detection.” He squeezed his eyes shut. ”It was... confusing. But I'm myself again now.”

Claire's hands had balled into fists without her noticing it. ”And your daughter?”

Jake's lip curled in disgust. ”My daughter was weak. I knew it was my fault. My wife was strong in her faith, much stronger than me. She had complete trust in God's plan while I suffered from doubts. So when she died, I was unable to give our daughter the spiritual guidance she needed. It was because of me that Helen wasn't strong enough.”

Something clicked into place, and Claire felt suddenly weak all over.

”She said no. When the angel came for her, Helen said no.”

Jake turned his head away. ”I took her to our minister. She explained to Helen over and over again that she had been chosen for a divine mission. That it was God's will that she surrender. But Helen was selfish and weak. I didn't know what to do. So I left her there. For months, we prayed with her. We prayed for her. And then... a miracle happened. She came to faith and gave herself over.”

The look on his face was a mixture of pride and relief. Claire felt tears running down her cheeks.

”So it was all a lie? That she came back to you? She's been possessed all this time?”

With a sigh, he walked over to the small table and picked up the Sharpie. ”The neighbors noticed Helen wasn't home. I couldn't explain her absence. Lying is a sin, I know. But if I'd been arrested, I wouldn't have been able to come to the angel's aid.”

He walked over to the symbol on the other wall and crossed it out swiftly. ”She needs what you have inside you. I didn't ask what it was, exactly, but it will help her.”

Claire felt frozen to the spot. ”Why didn't you help your daughter instead? You were her father! She trusted you!”

He turned back and looked at her with a puzzled expression. ”I did help my daughter.” His forehead furrowed and he loomed closer. ”You're also chosen. Why don't you understand?”

”I do,” Claire said calmly.

She reached back and pulled the revolver from her pants. Pointing it at Jake, center mass, just like Jody had taught her; it was the easiest thing in the world.

A gentle smile spread on his face. ”I already prayed to her. She's on her way, and when she arrives, you can see for yourself how glorious she is.”

”Pray to her again,” Claire said softly.

His eyes glittered and he held out his hands. ”Esther, I pray-”

Claire pulled the trigger to her. Then she pulled it again. The bullets hit Jake in the chest, two blossoming flowers of flesh and blood. He made a burping sound and staggered backward, grabbing the table on his way down.

”Esther...” he said again and was then silent. Claire took two steps forward and watched him die. His mouth and eyes were open, and he was looking at something far away. He looked at peace.

Without letting go of the gun, she reached down and picked up the Sharpie. She stepped over his corpse, to the wall with the broken ward, and drew a new one.

There were no sounds coming from the yard, no panicked voices of people hurrying to investigate the gunshots.

It was a bit awkward to clasp her hands around the hilt of the gun when they were shaking so much with adrenaline.

”Esther!” she screamed. ”Esther, you fucking bitch! It's over. Your assistant is dead. You're not getting the stone. We're going to find you, and you're going to give Helen back, or I will send you straight to hell. Is that understood?”

Panting heavily, she looked around the room. There was no thunderclap or stormwind, no response at all.

A pool of blood had started to form around the corpse. She kicked the body a few times, but there was no satisfaction.

”Amen,” she whispered.



Castiel's knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he sped through town. Claire's longing felt like razors cutting through his consciousness. He wished there was a way he could return to her instantly, that he wasn't confined to this fallible human technology.

The sun was creeping lower on the sky, and it was a beautiful evening. Yet, there was no one strolling down Main Street, or coming out of the diner. The whole town seemed deserted.

When he reached the motel, he parked the car right at the bottom of the stairs and ran up. The warding inside the room was pushing back at him, an invisible buffer keeping him out.

Frantically, he knocked. ”Claire, it's me!”

There were sounds of movement behind the door, and the warding gave in like a rubber band snapping. He broke the door down.

Claire was standing in the middle of the room, physically unharmed, with a blank expression on her face. Jake Barrett lay dead on the floor behind her.

”They sold her out,” she said in an empty tone. ”He and the priest. Helen said no to the angel, but they broke her down over several months and forced her to say yes.”

Castiel felt like he was going to be sick. He grabbed her by the shoulders, somewhat comforted by the tangible proof that she was alive. ”What did he say? Did he know where the angel was?”

It was like Claire hadn't seen him until now. She blinked. ”He said her name. I prayed to her. She knows we're coming.”

There was a mechanic quality to the way she walked over to the bed and picked up her bag, but when she turned, her eyes were wet. She fingered the strap nervously.

”I can't leave her like that.”

For the first time in years, Castiel wished there was someone left to pray to.



”Where is everyone?” They hadn't passed a single car on their way out of town, and there were no people to be seen anywhere.

”It's not a good sign,” Castiel said grimly and shot her a dark look. ”It's going to be very dangerous from now on. You have to do exactly as I say.”

”I promise. You don't have to worry.”

His jaw clenched. ”I can't bring you back from the dead. I'm not that powerful.”

The sword was still in its sheath, tip resting against the floor mat. Jody had found a blacksmith that specialized in replicas of medieval weapons. 'Hunting is dangerous enough,' she'd said. 'There's no point in stabbing yourself by accident.'

Claire wrapped her fingers around the hilt. ”I understand.” There was something in his expression she'd never seen before, and she realized with a start that he was afraid. ”So what's our plan here?”

”If we're lucky, the demons haven't put up a roadblock. But we should still park further up and find another path to the farm.”

”What about Billy? Won't the police do a search on the farm once they find his body?”

”I hid it very well,” Castiel said gruffly. ”Once it's found, it will all be over.”



They found a utility road and bumped along on it for several minutes until Castiel was satisfied they were far enough away from the main road to avoid detection. After leaving the car, Claire turned and looked at it. It was almost impossible to make out, covered as it was by the shade of the trees and the creeping dusk.

They walked on in silence. The ground was uneven and it was hard not to trip while watching her surroundings at the same time. She kept a look out for anything human shaped, but the forest was as deserted as the town.

After what seemed like hours, she finally recognized the slow uphill that led towards Billy's farm. She tried to soften her steps and to breathe more quietly as if that alone could save her from demons. When they reached the edge of the forest, Castiel tugged on her arm, and they crouched in the shadow of a large oak tree.

The last red tendrils of sunlight peeked out over the horizon and it made the display in front of them even creepier. Planted around the barn, spread out evenly, were dozens of people. Even without the binoculars she recognized the motel manager, Stephanie's ex-boyfriend, her sarcastic co-worker, and the young couple from the tourism office.

They were all pretty still, staring blankly ahead. Like human shields, Claire thought. She drew her bottom lip in between her teeth and bit down as hard as she could. ”What do we do?”

”There are too many demons.” Castiel turned to her with a tortured expression. ”I would have to kill the majority of these people.”

Biting back tears, Claire nodded. ”Let's wait and see if the angel shows up, okay?”

”She won't be able to get past these demons in her weakened state. She'll see them and turn around. Perhaps she already has,” he added as an afterthought.

The adrenaline was completely washed out of her system now, and Claire shivered a little. ”And she'd just give up?”

”She might reach out to her fellow angels and surrender. In that case, they'll take her back to Heaven.” He looked at her reassuringly. ”Helen would be left on earth.”

Claire swallowed a whimper and forced herself to look at the barn. ”And these people?”

”I don't know,” he said softly.



They sat in silence and watched the macabre scene of mass possession for what was probably hours. It was a strange sort of stalemate: there was no one to fight and no way to win. The grass was damp with evening dew and Claire's shoulder hurt from holding onto the sword so tightly.

When the screaming started, she jolted upright. The motel manager, the old man who had treated them so kindly, was on his knees. Castiel gripped her shoulder firmly. ”Wait.”

One by one, the demons fell to the ground, clutching their heads and wailing. Their mouths opened and black smoke poured out as though pulled by some invisible force. The smoke billowed up into the air and blended seamlessly with the dark night.

”Wait here!” Letting go of her shoulder, Castiel slid down the slope quickly and was at the barn just a few seconds later. The screaming hadn't stopped, but now the voices were fully human. The people who had just been possessed were still on the ground, crying out in pain or horror, or both.

Castiel moved quickly from person to person, laying his hands on them until they were still and quiet. Claire nervously looked around. Movement at the long side of the barn grabbed her attention and she reached for the binoculars, realizing too late that Castiel still had them.

The two shapes were hard to make out in the dark, but it was clear that one of them was a child.

After pulling her sword from the sheath, she ran down as fast as she could. ”The angel's here!” she whispered. ”She's got someone with her.”

His eyes widened and he pushed her in front of him. The black lines were barely noticeable in the dark. She dug out her small knife and scraped furiously on the wood.

”That's enough.” Castiel was already touching the handle. ”Stay behind me.”


It was so dark inside the barn that she couldn't see her own hand, but the sounds made it clear they weren't alone. Someone was sobbing in the corner. Another person called out for help. There was the rustling of crawling and fumbling all around them. She reached blindly until she caught the hem of Castiel's hoodie.

After a few seconds, her eyes adjusted and she could make out the shape of him. Ahead of them, a faint light was glowing.

Claire felt suddenly grateful for the screaming and crying because it covered the noise of her erratic breathing. Her hand was sweaty around the hilt of her sword as she followed Castiel deeper into the barn.

The source of the light seemed to be a glass display case on the ground. A few feet away from it, half turned from them, stood Esther. She appeared to be transfixed by the light. For a moment Claire thought she hadn't seen them, but the illusion was shattered when Esther spoke.

”It still shines just as brightly, even this far away from home. So do you, Castiel, even though it was you who drove us away. But I, who have always done what Father wanted, have diminished and been forced to resort to foul demon magic.”

Castiel gripped Claire's arm so hard that it hurt her to the bone. ”Don't look!”

She flinched but couldn't look away. She stared at Helen's girlish features, at her long blonde hair illuminated by the glow.

Esther turned towards them and Claire screamed. The blue sweater was drenched in blood and there was a hole cut in the chest. It seemed to go all the way through.

”What did you do, Esther?” Castiel said angrily.

”When I understood what Metatron was about to do, all I could think of was to protect the jewel. I hurried to get it, but it was too late. When I woke up, I was dazed and far away from home. The jewel was gone. In desperation, I reached out my grace to my true vessel, but it was nowhere to be found. I understood later that she had been dead for months, and I had to settle for the next best thing.”

She looked down at her hands. ”It's such a small and pitiful vessel, completely dependent on the help of adults. But despite its flaws, it did have one advantage. This method could not have been used with my true vessel.”

”It required the heart of a virgin,” Castiel said in an accusing tone and Claire wanted to throw up. The sword slipped uselessly out of her hand with a thud.

Esther looked at him in surprise. ”And you Castiel, you bring your empty vessel with you everywhere you go. I have to admit that's clever.”

His grip loosened on Claire's arm and he stepped in front of her. ”It's over. I'm not going to let you take the stone.”

Esther clenched her fists and studied them with a detached expression. ”I still have some strength left. Are you sure you want to test me?”

The light from the stone was strong enough for Claire to see the black shadows spreading out behind Esther. The wings were obscenely large in relation to Helen's small body, but they still made her look majestic.

Castiel charged on Esther with a cry. Claire had never seen his wings before, and it was bizarre to watch them unfurl from what had once been her father's body.

His blade was in his hand, and he towered over Esther, who ducked and evaded his blow. She held up her hand and there was a deafening boom as he skidded backward on the ground. Bright light flowed from his open palm and hit Esther straight in the chest. Her small body was thrown across the barn in a perfect arc.

”It's over,” he said sharply and the light in his hand faded. ”Surrender, and I'll let you return to Heaven.”

”Never!” Esther screamed, and she sounded exactly like a child throwing a tantrum. ”I'll never surrender to you!”

She stood up as a pillar of light burst from her hand. Castiel was thrown back and she wasted no time turning and running towards the case. Claire heard the glass shatter and the light grew so bright, she had to cover her eyes for a moment.

When she dared to look, Esther's arm was raised and her face glowed with triumph. The stone burned brightly in her hand, and the light spread down her arm until Helen's entire body was glowing. It was magnificent and revolting.

Suddenly, Esther jerked like she was having a seizure. ”No!”

She tried to let go of the stone, but it seemed to be frozen to her hand. Black veins shot up her neck and she started shaking. Her face was twisted in agony and she let out a bloodcurdling scream as her body disintegrated. The stone landed in a pile of ash.

Claire ran over to Castiel. ”Are you okay?”

”I'm fine,” he nodded and let her pull him up, although she wondered if he really needed it.

”What happened?”

”The spell Esther used must have corrupted her. When she touched the stone, the anti-demon protection activated.” He pointed towards where Esther had stood insistingly. ”Claire, please.”

”Are you sure you don't want it?” Angels were definitely assholes, but Castiel was a good guy. Wouldn't it be best if he held on to it?

He let out a shaky little laugh. ”Very sure.”

She walked over to where the stone lay, still gleaming in the remains of the child she had tried so hard to save. It was smaller than a chicken egg, and the intensity of the light had been dialed back to a soft glow.

Claire swallowed thickly. ”If the spell corrupted Esther, don't you think... I mean, I-”

”There's nothing demonic about you, Claire,” he said firmly.

Letting go of the breath she'd been holding, she bent down and picked up the stone. It was cool to the touch and weighed almost nothing in her hand.

The light went out like someone had flicked a switch, and it looked like an ordinary piece of rock. She let it fall from her hand and went to retrieve her sword.

By the guiding light of her cell phone, they worked their way through the terrified people cowering in the dark. Some reached out for them and others tried to pull away in horror. Castiel was gentle with each of them, placing his hands on their faces and laying them down once they were sound asleep. After the last one he stood up, his face starkly white in the light from her phone.

”They will wake in an hour with the desire to go home, and no memories of their possession. You were right; no one should have to remember something like that.”

She wanted to thank him, but the words felt stuck in her throat, so she nodded and hoped he got it. ”Let's just get out of here, okay?”



Nicole was limping in circles outside the barn. Her eyes widened when she saw them. ”It's you! What happened? Did you see her?”

Castiel looked at her furiously. ”Go home, Nicole.”

The excitement she had shown when they first met her had blossomed into fervor. She grabbed his arm frantically, almost screaming. ”It was an angel! Tell me you saw her!”

With an easy shove, he pushed her away. Claire's hand curled into a fist, but he looped his arm in hers and steered her gently towards the edge of the forest.

As they walked away from the farm, they heard Nicole shouting behind them.



Claire watched in the rearview mirror as Castiel walked up to the car. He opened the rear door, placing her duffel and his laptop case on the backseat, before getting in next to her.

”I've followed Sam's instructions. There is no trace of us left in the room. With the manager being one of the people experiencing memory loss, it will be a while until the body is discovered. I take it the gun is unregistered?”

”Yes,” she nodded. It had been one of the things Jody had insisted on, strangely enough. ”Thank you.”

His hands clenched on the steering wheel. ”Claire, I need to know. Are you going to seek out the Reverand and confront her?”

For a moment she let herself fantasize about it: an old-fashioned quest for revenge and she wondered if he'd come with her.

”No,” she shrugged. ”Wouldn't help, would it?”

As they drove out of town, they saw a handful of people, but none of the ones they had saved. The diner was open and Claire decided it was a good sign.

Eventually, the forest started to thin out, and she felt a stark relief when it finally disappeared behind them.

”If we stop for the night, we can be in Sioux Falls tomorrow evening.” He looked at her carefully. ”Is that what you want?”

”I guess.” She took a deep breath and tried to brace herself for what she was about to ask. ”Do you know what happened to Helen?”

He nodded like it was the easiest question in the world. ”Angelic vessels are rewarded with Heaven for their service.”

”But she said no. They made her do it, she didn't want to. Doesn't that-”

”Claire,” he said sharply and his eyes bored into her. ”They will take her.”

The landscape outside the window had transformed into farmland. Freshly plowed fields stretched all the way to the horizon and small barns were scattered throughout. She wondered if Heaven looked like a farm to Billy and his dad.

”You know,” she said as casually as she could. ”You were lucky I was there to help you today. To deactivate the stone and the warding. If you need it... I could help you out for a while. Not forever,” she added quickly when she saw the surprise on his face. ”I know you're very busy.”

His eyes twinkled and his mouth curved into a smile. ”Yes,” he said. ”I think I might need that.”



The sky was dark by the time he pulled up to the motel he'd seen signs for on the highway. It seemed to be a bigger establishment than he was used to, and the vacancy sign was lit. Once he'd parked, he turned the engine off and looked at Claire. She was fast asleep, completely relaxed against the reclined seat. She looked peaceful and very young, almost like the child she'd once been.

There was no reason to wake her just yet. A feeling of calm came over him and Castiel sat back and rested.



A girl scales the climbing frame over and over. Each time she reaches the top she waves at someone and laughs. She's healthy and happy and her blue sweater is clean from blood.

Claire hurries through the crowd to reach the girl before she leaves the ground again.

”Hey,” she says. ”Sorry I couldn't save you.”

”That's okay.” Helen shrugs and waves to a woman sitting on one of the benches. ”Thanks for trying.”

”Is that your mom? Say hi to her for me, okay?”

”Okay,” Helen says, but she's already focused on her next ascent, reaching upwards.

For a moment, Claire feels lost, but then her name is called. She looks towards the hill where her parents are sitting on the picnic blanket. The cooler is open and the plates have been set. They're smiling and waving at her, calling out for her to join them.

She runs to meet them.