sparks fly, sam winchester [ 2 ]

073. hunting break

They're at the hospital since Bobby is still there. He's sitting in a wheelchair and is staring out the window, one of his usual ball caps resting on his head and he also has a robe on over his hospital clothes.

Sam and Miranda are standing in the doorway, the former holding Carly, when Dean walks up with an envelope in hand.

"It's been like three days now." Dean says quietly and Sam sighs. "We got to cheer him up. Maybe I'll give him a backrub."

"Dean." Sam gives him a look.

"Well, what, then?" Dean asks.

"Look... we might have to wrap our heads around the idea that Bobby might not just bounce back this time." Sam says. "What's in the envelope?"

"Went to radiology." Dean pulls papers out of the envelope. "Got some glamour shots." He hands Sam the stuff, a chest X-ray with symbols on the ribs. "Let's just say the doctors are baffled."

"Holy, shit." Sam mutters at the same time.

"Yeah, well, Cas carved you one, too." Dean says.

Sam's phone rings and he answers it.

"Hello?" He asks." Castiel?"

"Speak of the devil." Dean says.

"Uh, St. Martin's Hospital. Why? What are you-- Cas?" Sam asks. He hangs up.

A few moments later, Cas walks up.

"Cell phone, Cas? Really? Since when do angels need to reach out and touch someone?" Dean asks.

"You're hidden from angels now -- all angels." Cas says. "Speaking of." Cas presses a hand to Miranda and Carly's stomachs.

"Holy--" Miranda grimaces in pain. Carly starts sobbing.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Sam asks, immediately starting to comfort his daughter.

"Sorry. It'll keep her safe." Sam says. "I won't be able to simply--"

"Enough foreplay." Bobby calls. "Get over here and lay your damn hands on me. Get healing. Now."

"I can't." Cas states.

"Say again?" Bobby asks, turning his wheelchair to face Cas. The angel walks up to him.

"I'm cut off from Heaven and much of Heaven's power. Certain things I can do. Certain things I can't." Cas says.

"You're telling me you lost your mojo just in time to get me stuck in this trap the rest of my life?" Bobby asks.

"I'm sorry." Cas tells him.

"Shove it up your ass." Bobby turns back to the window.

"At least he's talking now." Dean quietly says.

"I heard that." Bobby says.

"I don't have much time. We need to talk." Cas tells the siblings.

"Okay." Dean says.

"Your plan to kill Lucifer." Cas says.

"Yeah. You want to help?" Dean asks.

"No. It's foolish. It can't be done." Cas says.

"Oh, thanks for the support." Dean remarks.

"I believe I have the solution. There is someone besides Michael strong enough to take on Lucifer. Strong enough to stop the apocalypse." Cas says.

"Who's that?" Sam asks.

"The one who resurrected me and put you on that airplane. The one who began everything. God." Cas states. "I'm gonna find God."

Dean closes the door to the hospital room.

"God?" He asks.

"Yes." Cas nods.

"God." Dean repeats.

"Yes! He isn't in Heaven. He has to be somewhere." Cas says.

"Try New Mexico. I hear he's on a tortilla." Dean says.

"No, he's not on any flatbread." Cas says.

"Listen, Chuckles, even if there is a God, he is either dead -- and that's a generous theory--"

"He is out there, Dean."

"--or he's up and kicking and doesn't give a rat's ass about any of us." Dean says and Cas glares at him. "I mean, look around you, man. The world is in the toilet. We are literally at the end of days here, and he's off somewhere drinking booze out of a coconut. All right?"

"Enough." Cas orders. "This is not a theological issue. It's strategic."

"With God's help, we can win." Cas says.

"It's a pipe dream, Cas." Dean says.

"I killed two angels this week. My brothers. I'm hunted. I rebelled. And I did it, all of it, for you, and you failed. You and your brother destroyed the world and I lost everything for nothing. So keep your opinions to yourself."

"You didn't drop in just to tear us a new hole. What is it you want?" Bobby asks.

"I did come for something. An amulet." Cas states.

"An amulet? What kind?" Bobby asks.

"Very rare. Very powerful." Cas says. "It burns hot in God's presence. It'll help me find him."

"A God EMF?" Sam asks and Cas nods.

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about. I got nothing like that." Bobby says.

"I know. You don't." Cas turns to Dean, looking at the amulet that rests around his neck.

"What, this?" Dean asks.

"May I borrow it?" Cas asks.

"No." Dean immediately denies.

"Dean. Give it to me." Cas demands.

"All right, I guess." Dean relents after a few moments as he takes it off. He holds it out, but pulls back when Cas reaches for it. "Don't lose it." Cas takes the amulet. "Great. Now I feel naked."

"I'll be in touch." Cas says and Dean nods before Cas disappears.

"When you find God, tell him to send legs!" Bobby yells in the air.

+++

Miranda stayed back with Carly while Sam and Dean went to a town that Rufus had told Bobby was in trouble. After a couple of days, Sam gets back and finds the motel room Miranda told him about.

"Hey." He greets when she opens the door.

"Hey." She says. "Where's Dean?"

"Uh... we, um... we're not gonna hunt together for a while." Sam says.

"Not that I'm complaining, but, why?" Miranda asks.

"I know he doesn't trust me. And I just... I don't trust me." Sam says.

"What? Why?" Miranda asks.

"I... I had to kill a couple of teenagers who... I thought were demons. There-- it's a long story, but the Horseman, War, and-- and he was making everybody think demons were all over the place. Maybe the two I killed really were demons, I don't know. But... but I had the urge to-- to drink the blood."

"And I-- I just miss the feeling." Sam says. "And I-- I know how fucked up that sounds. How fucked up I am. I just-- there's something in me the scares the hell out of me and-- and I just can't be hunting right now. And Dean doesn't even want me around, anyways, so... win/win, I guess."

"Okay, well, I want you around." Miranda says. "Carly wants you around." The girl looks up at the mention of her name. "So... if you're okay with it... I can stop hunting with you."

"What?" Sam asks.

"Yeah. I mean, it's not like I can hunt with a baby on my hip. I mean, I could just leave her with you and go on my own, but I'm not going to. And I trust you." Sam's eyes light up just the slightest at the last part. He's sure she's the only one who trusts him now.

"Okay." Sam nods. "Yeah. Yeah, I like you two."

"Good." Miranda smiles.